Venting means for sealed containers



March 18, 194-1..

E. M. ENKUR VEN'IING MEANS FOR SEALED CONTAINERS Filed May 29, 1959 mun i Edugczz d MEnkar,

OFFIGE STATES aasaioi VENTING MEANS roe SEALED oon'ramsns Edward lid. Enliur, Baltimore, Mid assignor to Crown Corlr at Seal @ompany, lna, Baltimore, Melt, a corporation oi New lilorlr attains May a, was, Serial l lo. arena 2 prairie, (binrs) This invention relates to sealed containers and be formed for snap-on engagement, or they may has as its object to provide simple means whereby be interengaged in the manner of the ordinary abnormally high pressures may be vented. crown cap and container, etc.

In the packaging of many products in sealed The cap is provided with the usual packing containers, the very real problem arises oi proelement or gasket designated in Figures l and 2 viding venting means, particularly where the corn by the reference numeral il'. in the present intainers are of glass, or like material, which will stance, it is assumed that the element ill is of rupture with dangerous results under high pres-- material, suchv as pulp board, which is affected by sures generatedin the containers. moisture, and consequently, the exposed surface The present invention contemplates the use of element ll is shown as having applied thereto with a container sealed by a suitable closure, of a lacing disc ill of impervious and inert substance. A means interposed between the closure and the When the packing element ll is composed of macontainer lip providing a minute channel through terial unaffected by moisture, for example, rubwhich abnormally high pressures may escape. her, the facing element id may be omitted. On

The channel provided is so small as to resist the the other hand, the racing element may consist escape of normal pressures and as to prevent of an impervious coating applied to the lower face breathing under normal conditions, and bones of the paclringr uuently the invention may be utilised in the paclrinterposed between gaslret ll, whether the lataging of materials susceptible of injury upon ter is iacecl or not, is a disc iii of relatively hard t t t m anateriai, this disc being here shown as being of m in the accompanying drawing l have shown the the same size as the racing element ill. Disc it invention in practical and illustrative embodiis p ov de in it; marginal portion W a slit iii ment, and i shall proceed with a-description of which, as here shown, is ght and substanthe invention with reierence to this drawing, in tially radia y g d. However, the form of ,5 which: the slit maybe as desired so long as when the 95 Figure l is a partial axial section of a container disc is applied in the manner shown in Fi l W and closure provided with the venting means of the slit extends across the l p M om t e inside the present invention; to the outside of the latter.

Figure 2 is a perspective of a compressible With the cap applied to the container as in so paclring element or gasket forming a part of the Figure 1, the packing e e gasket is O 3Q closure; pressed between the top of the cap and the con- Figure 3 is a perspective of a sealing lacing eletainer lip in the usual manner- HOWEVBI, ment for the packing; r slit it provides a minute channel across the con- Figure t is a perspective of a venting disc protainer lip through which abnormal pressures may 3.5a vided in its marginal portion with a venting slit, Ve it being understood that the vented gases and can escape readily between the cap skirt and the Figure 5 is a perspective, bottom view, or a container. venting disc provided in its marginal portion'with In practice, I have made the disc it of various enting c r materials, oi which a vinylite film is an example,

Referring to the drawing, and first to Figures which t a y e ad y regulated s to n l to it, reference numeral ll] designates the uphardnesse Slit y e merely a With 0 per portion of a container, here contemplated as material removed: it may be formed by the being of glass or simliar materiaL The mouth moval of a very narrow strip of material. The cut or the container is surrounded by a lip H, and s been found, however, to e ntirely adequa to below the lip the container is provided with exand if (183113661, more than aybe provided. ternal locking lugs as at H. The cap, designated With a hard Vinylite for p t e Cut generally by the reference numeral [3, comprises is adequate, Since When Pressure is exerted, the a circular top l4 and a depending skirt l5 proedges of the cut will not be squeezed together so vided with lugs as at M5 for interengagement with as to seal. With a softer film, where the edges of so the container lugs I2. The nature of these intera more out might be squeezed together to form a engaging means is immaterial, so far as the presseal, the slit is made wider so that a. minute pasent invention is concerned, so long as they are of sage will exist after the application of the cap. a nature as to exert an axial tension on the skirt The point is that depending upon the material of the applied cap. For example, the container and the sealing pressures to be used, a suitable and cap may have coacting screw threads or may slit is provided so that a minute channel will be 55 maintained when the cap is applied to the confoils or any other suitable materials may be used.

In Figure 5, the venting disc 2| is shown as being somewhat thicker than the venting disc IB of Figures 1 and 3, and in this case is provided on its lower marginal surface with a score or groove 22 which will provide the minute escape passage in use.

In referring to elements I 9 and 2| as discs, I do not confine myself to a solid disc, since an annular or other form might be used, it being only necessary that suflicient area be present to overlie the container lip and .to present a minute channel of proper length and disposition.

It will be understood that variations in detail may be made from the disclosures herein without departure from the invention as defined in the following I claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a container and closure, the container having a mouth defined by a top circumferential lip and the closure having a gasket overlying said lip, the container and 010- sure having interengaging means whereby the closure is held on the container with the gasket in compressed condition, of a disc of relatively uncompressible material interposed between the gasket and the container lip and provided with a minute channel crossing from the inside to the outside of .the lip, said channel serving to vent abnormal pressures within the container.

2. The combination with a container and closure, the container having a mouth defined by a top circumferential lip and the closure having a gasket overlying said lip, the container and closure having interengaging means whereby the closure is held on the container with the gasket in compressed condition, of a disc of relatively. uncompressible material interposed between the gasket and the container lip and provided with a slit forming a minute channel crossing from the inside to the outside of the lip, said channel serving to vent abnormal pressures within the container.

EDWARD M. ENKUR. 

